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Top 6 Cause of Decline of the Harappan Culture

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The succession of rise and fall is a law of nature. After 1500 years of prominence, the Harappan culture gradually declined to the point of extinction. Harappa, Mohenjo-Daro, Kalibangan and other centres of Harappan culture were no exception.

The decline of Harappan culture has evoked the historians to find out its causes.

1. Law of Nature:

Renowned historian Arnold Joseph Toynbee has categorized the decay of a culture as its final stage after a culture is born and grows to its highest point of efficacy. The Harappan culture was no exception to this general law of nature. Its decline set in around 1800 B.C. and in course of time came its extinction.

2. Floods:

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The massive floods in the Indus must have been a potent cause for the extinction of the Harappan culture. The point is proved by the silt-clay that covers the collapsed houses at Mohenjo-Daro. Repeated floods must have forced the people to flee the inundated places and set up permanent habitat elsewhere. As a consequence came the decline of Harappa.

3. Earthquakes:

Geographically, the Harappan culture occupied an area that was prone to earthquakes as it came under a seismographic zone. Repeated seismographic vibrations must have led to erosion that brought down the buildings. Earthquakes constitute an important reason for the decline of Harappan culture.

4. Change of the Course of the Indus:

Some Historians attribute the decline of the Harappan culture to the river Indus changing its course frequently. As such the Indus delta shifted away from Mohenjo-Daro and water became scarce. Water scarcity must have led to the exodus of the Harappan people to other places. Yet, the change of course of the Indus is not reason enough for the decline in Lothal, Kalibangan, Rupar etc. because the Mohenjo-Daro situation did not occur in these regions.

5. Plague:

Outbreak of the plague epidemic is shown as a reason for the decline of Harappan civilization. Skeletal remains from the main roads of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro as found out through archaeological efforts tell a sad story. When an epidemic like plague visits a human habitation, it leaves its trail of death everywhere. The scattered skeletal remains therefore lead some to attribute it to epidemic like plague, though there is no concrete proof of outbreak of plague in the region.

6. Foreign Invasion:

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Sir Mortimer Wheeler however is of the opinion that the Aryan invasion is the reason for the decline of Harappan culture. There is archaeological proof of genocide and unburied skeletal remains scattered everywhere in Mohenjo-Daro. An autopsy on these skeletons reveals damages that must have been caused by sharp objects or weapons. Knowledge and use of iron as weapons was known to the Aryans, not to the Harappan people. Defeat and death of the Harapan people must have come at the hands of the invading Aryans.

The Aryan cavalry must have been an adverse point for the Harappans who did not know the use of horses. Prof D.D. Kosambi holds this view also. Further, the Vedas speak of the forest of the ‘dasa’ or ‘dasyu’. The god Indra of the Vedas is also known as Purandara or destroyer of the forts.

The view of Kosambi is fairly acceptable in the context of the forts of the Harappan culture. Areas of Harappan culture which were not invaded by the Aryans might have perished due to barbaric conflicts with rural and forest people. Anyway, foreign invasion goes a long way to account for the decline of the Harappan culture.

The multiple causes, enumerated above, were responsible for the decline of Harappan culture. Thanks to archaeological efforts, we now know a lot about this oldest urban culture of India. Indeed their town-planning, social and religious life, the Lothal port, the unique art and architecture, artifacts and pottery have led everybody to look upon them with awe and admiration.

India and the world marvels at the wonder of Harappan culture. Yet, this culture could not defeat the law of nature and was, as such, not imperishable. Most of the rich traditions left behind were later on retained by the Aryans and others.